Rhinolophidae
Author
Burgin, Connor
text
2019
2019-10-31
Lynx Edicions
Barcelona
Editor
Wilson, Don E.
Editor
Mittermeier, Russell A.
Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats
280
332
book chapter
http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3748525
6384b520-7e9f-4874-a414-76c2e9b01d74
978-84-16728-19-0
3748525
3
.
Halcyon Horseshoe
Bat
Rhinolophus alcyone
French
:
Rhinolophe alcyone
/
German
:
Alcyon-Hufeisennase
/
Spanish
:
Herradura
alción
Taxonomy.
Rhinolophus aZcyon
« Temminck, 1853
,
“
La rivière Boutry à la Guiné
[=
Boutry
River
,
Guinea
]
.”
Rhinolophus alcyone
is in the
landeri
species group with
R landeri
,
R guineensis
,
R blasii
,
and
R lobatus
.
It is genetically close to
R landeri
,
although additional sampling is needed to fully resolve its placement Although no subspecies are recognized, there are distinct pelage differences between eastern and western populations and the Bioko Island population, suggesting taxonomic revision is needed. Specimens from
Gabon
might represent
R silvestris
,
which requires additional investigation. Monotypic.
Distribution. W &
C
Africa from
Senegal
to
Togo
and from S
Nigeria
, S
Cameroon
, and SW
Central African Republic
to W
Republic of the Congo
,
Equatorial Guinea
and Bioko I, and
Gabon
, also patchily in
Congo
Basin, SW
South Sudan
, and W
Uganda
.
Descriptive
notes.
Head—body
c.
57—68 mm
, tail
18—32 mm
, ear
19—25 mm
, hindfoot
11-13 mm
, forearm
48-56 mm
;
weight
14—23 g
. Typical dorsal pelage is dark to medium brown (hairs are yellowish beige with brown tips); ventral pelage is slighdy paler. Orange-morph pelage is pale brown to bright orange-red, which is rare. Intermediate form has been recorded where body was dark brown, with orange-brown rump. Some males have bright orange
axillary
tufts. Ears are comparatively short (36—49% of forearm length) and have 8—9 internal folds. Noseleaf has subtriangular lancet, with straight or
slightly
concave margins; tip is
bluntly
pointed; sella has extremely short white hairs and is narrow with straight, almost parallel sides; top of sella is rounded and curved forward; connecting process is well developed and subtriangular, with
bluntly
to sharply pointed tip; horseshoe is of medium breadth (8-3-11-
2 mm
) and nearly covers muzzle; and there are lateral leaflets present and median emargination. Lower lip has well-defined median groove and two poorly defined lateral grooves.
Wings
are medium to blackish brown, and first phalanx of fourth finger is relatively short (19—22% of fourth metacarpal). Uropatagium is paler brown; one specimen had cream uropatagium, with dark brown reticulation. Skull is robust, and zygomatic arches are moderately robust; zygomatic width is greater than mastoid width; nasal swellings are
relatively
high; anterior medium swellings are globular and prominent; lateral and posterior swellings are not as
prominent
; frontal depression is
very
shallow; supraorbital ridge is weak; and sagittal
crest
is
variably
developed, being low to well developed. P2 is in tooth row or
slightly
displaced labially; C1 and P4 are well separated; P3 can be either displaced labially from tooth row or within it; and P2 and P4 are separated.
Habitat.
Closed tropical moist forests and also savanna
with
pockets ofsuitable habitat.
Food and Feeding.
The Halcyon Horseshoe Bat is insectivorous.
Breeding. One lactating and three pregnant Halcyon Horseshoe Bats were captured in western
Uganda
in midJune, and a birth was recorded in September. In
Ivory Coast
, four pregnant females were captured in mid-February.
On following pages: 4. Lander's Horseshoe Bat
(
Rhinolophus landeri
);
5. Guinean Horseshoe Bat
(
Rhinolophus
guineensis
);
6. Blasius's Horseshoe Bat
(
Rhinolophus blasii
);
7. Peters's Horseshoe Bat
(
Rhinolophus lobatus
);
8. Swinny's Horseshoe Bat
(
Rhinolophus
swinnyi
);
9. Cape Horseshoe Bat
(
Rhinolophus capensis
);
10. Gorongosa Horseshoe Bat
(
Rhinolophus gorongosae
);
11. Roberts's Horseshoe Bat
(
Rhinolophus
rhodesiae
);
12. Bushveld Horseshoe Bat
(
Rhinolophus
simulato
/);
13. Dent's Horseshoe Bat
(
Rhinolophus denti
);
14. Cameroon Horseshoe Bat
(
Rhinolophus
alticolus
);
15. Mehely's Horseshoe Bat
(
Rhinolophus mehelyi
);
16. Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat
(
Rhinolophus
euryale
);
17. Hildebrandt's Horseshoe Bat
(
Rhinolophus
hildebrandtii
);
18. Mount Mabu Horseshoe Bat
(
Rhinolophus mabuensis
);
19.
Cohen's
Horseshoe Bat
(
Rhinolophus cohenae
);
20. Smithers's Horseshoe Bat
(
Rhinolophus
smithersi
);
21. Mozambican Horseshoe Bat
(
Rhinolophus mossambicus
);
22. Rüppell's Horseshoe Bat
(
Rhinolophus fumigatus
);
23. Eloquent Horseshoe Bat
(
Rhinolophus Bloquons
).
Activity
patterns. During the day, Halcyon Horseshoe Bats roost in caves, hollow trees, roofs of thatched houses, and old mine shafts. Call
frequency
is 87 kHz in
Uganda
.
Movements, Home range and Social organization.
Halcyon Horseshoe Bats often occur in colonies of up to 20 individuals and
occasionally
alone. They have been
recorded
roosting with
Cameroon
Horseshoe Bats (
7
t
alticolus
).
Status and Conservation.
Classified as Least Concern on
The
IUCN
ed List.
Although the Halcyon Horseshoe Bat is considered rare and difficult to find, it is widespread and is currently considered not threatened. Potential threats include habitat loss from logging and agricultural expansion. It is hunted for food in some areas, which
might
be a localized threat.
Bibliography.
ACR (2018), Csorba et al. (2003), Grubb et al. (1998), Happold, M. (2013p), Monadjem, Taylor, Jacobs &
Cotterill
(2017a),
Rosevear
(1965).